About Us
Meet Our Trustees
The Gardens are an independent charity who are regulated by the Charity Commission. Our charitable objectives are to further public education in botany, horticulture and to encourage and provide facilities for scientific study and research and to maintain and preserve gardens, grounds, buildings and land in or about the City of Birmingham. The charity is solely funded by income generation from tickets, our cafe and shop and individual donations.
Sue Beardsmore
Chair of the Board of Trustees
Sue Beardsmore became Chair of Birmingham Botanical Gardens in April 2022. She previously worked for BBC television as a senior Broadcast Journalist for more than 25 years on daily news as a reporter and as one of the main presenters of Midlands Today.
She is now a freelance media consultant, trainer and facilitator. She’s worked with and for a number of community organisations in the West Midlands – concerned with health, education and the arts, and is a former Chair of the National Lottery Heritage Fund’s Midlands and East Committee.
Caroline Clutton-Brock
Vice Chair
With over 30 years’ experience in sales and marketing in the retail and cosmetics industry and as National Account Manager at Yves Saint Laurent Beaute, Caroline brings a wealth of retail experience to The Gardens.
She has additional expertise in event management and customer relations management and was previously the Chair of The Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens. Previous non-executive charitable roles have included Director of Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery’s Trading Company and Chair of Enterprises for Birmingham Botanical Gardens.
Pamela Smith
Chair, Horticulture Sub-committee
Pam is a horticulturalist with over 35 years’ experience in public parks, botanic and historic gardens. She is a former Director of Winterbourne House and Gardens, Vice Chair of PlantNetwork and CABE Space scholar.
She is the National Trust’s Senior Advisor on Gardens, Parklands, Horticulture and Garden History. Her research interests include history of natural history education in public parks and urban botanical heritage.
Rob Macpherson
Chair, Marketing/Operations/Retail/Events (MORE) Sub-committee
Marketing, communications and brand strategy expert Rob, has run the Impakt consultancy, a sister company of web designers Substrakt, since 2019.
He formerly led marketing, communications and fundraising for subsidised and commercial touring at the Birmingham Hippodrome and led an extensive community programme. Recent arts, education and charity clients include The Royal Court; Leicester Haymarket; CORE Education Trust; Dance Woking, and Birmingham Ormiston Academy.
Rita McLean
Chair, Capital Project Scrutiny Committee
Rita is an independent museums and heritage consultant who has worked across the UK heritage and cultural sectors in strategic, advisory and operational roles.
She was Director of Birmingham Museums and Art Gallery (BMAG) from 2004 until 2012 and prior to this, Head of BMAG’s historic house museums. Her work encompassed delivery of major capital development projects, also audience diversity initiatives. Current consultancy work includes assignments for the National Lottery Heritage Fund as a project consultant and expert adviser. Rita is a member of the National Trust’s Collections and Interpretation Advisory Group and Birmingham Cathedral’s Fabric Advisory Committee.
James Brown
Capital Project Scrutiny Committee
James Brown is an expert in building and surveying, having served for 17 years in the construction industry.
A lifelong resident of Birmingham, James is hugely proud of the city, its evolution and sees the Botanical Gardens an important part of our heritage. A lover of nature and wildlife, he strongly believes that gardens and nature bring much pleasure to people and is the best antidote to the fast-pace and pressure of living in today’s digital world. James’s skills and advice are utilised in our major capital project to restore our listed buildings and improve visitor services.
Fiona Taylor
Horticulture sub-committee
Chief Executive Officer of Garden Organic, a charity that brings together thousands of people who believe organic growing is essential for a healthy and sustainable world.
Fiona’s background is in communications and campaigning, in particular, championing the UN Sustainable Development Goals covering issues such as fuel poverty, urban greening, deforestation and conservation.
Carol King
Chair of Engagement and Learning Committee
Carol King is a public engagement specialist with over 15 years of working in community focused museums and heritage organisations developing and delivering high impact audience led programmes.
She is currently the Director of Content at the Black Country Living Museum, an award-winning open air museum that tells the story of one of the first industrialised landscapes in Britain. She has led the museum’s recent expansion in to the 1940s, 50s and 60s transforming visitor engagement and participation.
Carol is also Deputy Chair of the West Midlands Combined Authority’s (WMCA) Cultural Leadership Board, which advises the WMCA on how to maximise the contribution of culture in delivering clean and inclusive growth to the region and enhancing quality of life of its citizens.
Dan Murphy
Marketing/Operations/Retail/Events (MORE) Sub-committee
Dan has over 25 years’ experience working in Retail Operations in both regional and national roles.
Dan has also managed a number of destination Shopping Centres including as General Manager at the Trafford Centre, Centre Director at Merryhill and is currently the Destination Director at Bullring & Grand Central.
Lynsey Rutter
Engagement and Learning Sub-committee
Lynsey has worked in the arts and culture sector of Birmingham for nearly 15 years.
She recently join the Midlands Arts Centre as Head of Learning and Participation where she leads the large program of courses and workshops. Lynsey has always worked in roles that create opportunities for people to engage with culture, with the firm belief that access to the arts is a right not a privilege. She is lover of the great outdoors, fantastic food and musical theatre.
Helen Fowweather
Chair Finance & General Purposes, Chair Enterprise Board
Helen is a chartered accountant with over 25 years’ experience in a variety of FD and CFO roles. For the last ten years she has worked as an Interim FD at a range of not for profit enterprises and so brings a wealth of experience in charities governance and finances.
Assignments have included the University of Reading, Midland Heart Housing Association, and the British Board of Film Classification, where she is currently a non-executive director.
Philip Chapman
Finance and General Purposes Committee
With over 25 years’ experience in the legal profession and industry, Philip is a partner at mfg Solicitors specialising in corporate mergers & acquisitions and company law. He advices both owner managed businesses and larger institutions often with an international focus thanks to his roles within multinational organisations.
He has advised numerous charities and held several trustee positions prior to joining the board of the Birmingham Botanical Gardens including company secretary to the Midlands Air Ambulance and vice chair of Primrose Hospice. Philip is an appointed Notary Public and an accredited Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution (CEDR) Mediator.
Mark Holden
Capital Project Scrutiny Committee
Mark is a Chartered Surveyor with over forty years of experience in property and construction. In 2001 Mark co-founded Invigour, a niche consultancy offering development and project support to clients in the heritage, cultural and regeneration sectors.
The previous 20 years were spent with a major international project consultancy where he was a main Board member and joint managing partner. Mark was appointed to the National Lottery Heritage Fund consultancy panels 2018-2024 and is a Trustee of Stratford Historic Buildings Trust.
James Grenfell
Enterprise Board Trustee
James is an experienced financier, investor and founding partner of Birmingham based corporate finance boutique Clairfield. James was born in Birmingham and spent his formative years at KES Edgbaston where he was first introduced to the amazing BBG.
A proud Brummie with a passion for historical gardens, spectacular trees, and protecting our green heritage. James is also Chairman of Cerebral Palsy Midlands, a day centre in Harborne supporting advocacy, day care services and the wellbeing of individuals with CP.
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Day Ticket
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